Students battling chronic illnesses face a troubling reality beyond their medical challenges: they encounter bullying at rates five times higher than their healthy classmates, new data shows.
MissingSchool, an advocacy organisation supporting students with chronic conditions, has compiled data revealing the extent of the issue facing students and the findings are set to be presented to the Federal Government’s Anti-Bullying Rapid Review.
The scale of the problem
“Nearly half of kids with rare diseases, cancer, or chronic pain experience bullying, and any child with a chronic condition faces five times higher odds of being teased about their illness,” said MissingSchool CEO Megan Gilmour.
The organisation estimates up to 1.2 million Australian students face heightened bullying risks alongside their medical complications and Gilmour described “heartbreaking stories of students who – while dealing with serious and debilitating conditions – have also had to change schools because bullying was not addressed.”
Educational gaps compound the crisis
MissingSchool’s survey of more than 1,500 parents and teachers revealed systemic failures in supporting chronically ill students. The data shows 61% of children lack individual education plans for their chronic illness, while one in four receives no educational support despite their condition.
Social isolation emerges as another significant factor. Half of parents reported their child experienced reduced social support due to lower attendance, with 71% noting disrupted friendships. More than half of these students faced academic underachievement, creating a cycle of educational disadvantage.
The invisible student population
The chronic absence patterns of these students contribute to their vulnerability. “The fact that kids with chronic conditions are often invisible due to their absences, and often overlooked for specialised support at school, means they are likely to be overlooked in the Anti-Bullying Rapid Review,” Gilmour explained.
This invisibility creates a dangerous gap in protection. Students managing serious health conditions find themselves isolated from both their peers and support systems, making them prime targets for bullying behaviour.
Technology as a bridge
MissingSchool’s telepresence initiative offers a potential solution. When students with chronic conditions maintain classroom connections through technology, the organisation reports improved friendships, better classroom participation, and enhanced wellbeing.
“Evidence from MissingSchool’s telepresence initiative shows that when students with chronic conditions stay connected, the top three outcomes are improved friendships and social relationships, improved classroom connection and participation, and better wellbeing,” Gilmour noted.
Call for federal recognition
The organisation has urged the Federal Government to formally recognise students with chronic conditions as a priority equity cohort. Their recommendations include counting these students in attendance data, addressing them in anti-bullying strategies, and implementing targeted supports like telepresence technology.
The timing of the findings coincides with the World Health Assembly’s adoption of a landmark resolution recognising social connection as an urgent public health priority, underscoring the global significance of addressing social isolation among vulnerable student populations.